The Academy: Making of a Ruler (The Eagle King's Academy Book 1)

by C. C. Monö

  Thabo seemed unaware of Axel’s nervousness. He walked in silence, hands deep in his pockets and his gaze on the ground in front of him.

  “My people are a very proud people,” Thabo began. “My family is perhaps the proudest of them all. I have 29 siblings. Many of them are older, so I can’t expect to inherit the crown. Nonetheless, I’m a prince, the son of a Zulu King. Being a ruler is part of who I am, and I’ve known since childhood that I must never show fear or accept disrespect. I must always make my family proud. If I humiliate myself, I humiliate my family, and doing so…” He shook his head. “It is just not acceptable.”

  This was the first time Thabo said anything private about his family, and Axel knew he should be honoured. It meant their friendship was evolving.

  “I am not afraid of insects, rats, snakes, or lions. I fear no man and will fight anyone who challenges me. The dark doesn’t bother me; neither do small places. I can stand on a ledge, hundreds of meters above the ground and I will not sweat. I don’t fear death or what may come after. I fear nothing but one thing; humiliating myself or my family.”

  Axel looked at his friend, his proud and youthful face.

  “Was that your challenge? To be humiliated?”

  Thabo winced and nodded.

  “I spent a whole day with Mr Nakata, facing humiliating exercises. I did everything from singing karaoke in front of a hundred laughing Belgians, to sitting in a corner begging for money.” He shuddered at the memory. “I had to do many things, things I’ll never talk about, but know this; no matter what Mr Nakata threw at me, I faced it with my head held high.”

  “To be honest, I wouldn’t have expected anything less of you, Thabo,” Axel said earnestly. “I wish I had half your courage.”

  To Axel’s surprise, Thabo smiled.

  “You do. You just have to find it.”

  “I’m not so sure about that.”

  “Growing up, I spent very little time with my father; he was a busy man. But one day, when I was six years old, he took me to a neighbouring village. There was business to attend to and he let me join him.

  “In this village lived a man, an odd drunkard who kept to himself and hated the company of men. He had the biggest dog I’d ever seen. It was an ugly thing, a beast that barked and growled at anyone who came too close. While my father tended to his business, I walked around the village and ran into the drunkard and his dog. When the animal saw me it growled and barked. The drunkard was asleep under a tree, too drunk to notice. Realising I was no threat, the animal moved closer. Baring its teeth, it came closer and closer. I was afraid. I began to cry. That’s when I felt a hand upon my shoulder. It was my father.

  “When the dog saw him, it stopped. For a long time the two of them stared at each other. Then my father took one single step towards the dog and clapped his hands. The beast turned and ran. I’ll never forget it. I was so proud and ashamed at the same time. My father, the king, had showed me how brave he was, and I had showed him nothing but weakness.”

  “But you were a child.”

  Thabo laughed.

  “It makes no difference. I am a Zulu. A prince.”

  “Yes, but…”

  “No. I mustn’t be a coward. That day, on our way home, my father told me that any man who claims to be fearless is a liar. All that matters is how you deal with your fear. Then he gave me a word of advice. He said ‘fear is nothing more than a simple thought’.”

  “A thought?”

  “Yes. To deal with fear, one must learn how to put it aside. This challenge isn’t about your fear of heights. It’s an exercise in controlling your mind. This is what Mr Nakata wants you to learn, but you keep focusing on the jump, am I right?”

  Axel nodded. “Shit, I start sweating just thinking about it!”

  “That’s your problem. You focus on what makes you afraid, which makes things worse. You must learn how to control your mind.”

  “And how do I do that?”

  “By remembering that your fear is just a thought.”

  “Just a thought?”

  “Yes. Occupy your mind with something other than your fear. The mind can only focus on one thought at the time, so focus on something positive.”

  “Like what?” Axel asked.

  Thabo shrugged.

  “I focus on the fact that nothing can stop me. Nothing!” He looked up at the darkening sky. “I think we should head back now. There’s a storm coming this way.”

  CHAPTER 96

  The sky roared and the man in the black coat flinched. He turned on the engine and cranked up the heat while massive raindrops smattered against the fogged-up windscreen. With some effort, he pulled off his soaked coat and threw it on the passenger seat. Outside lightning struck, accompanied by a ground-shattering rumble. God, he hated thunder, which was ironic considering his name.

  Thor picked up his phone and dialled his boss. After only a ring, Smooth answered.

  “Yes?”

  “It’s been delivered.”

  “Well done. Has he noticed it yet?”

  “No. He was out on a walk with Mr Zulu. They just returned to the Academy.”

  “Then we shall see what happens.”

  Thor held up his cold hands in front of one of the vents.

  “I think Axel is genuinely troubled about his F.F.T.”

  “He should be.”

  Thor rubbed his fingers a little more and then leaned back in his seat. After watching the rain against the window for another second or two, he closed his eyes.

  “You’re very quiet, Thor,” Smooth observed.

  “Well, you know I have my doubts about Axel. He’s not strong enough. What if he doesn’t jump? What if he doesn’t have the guts? Are you ready to take the necessary steps to protect The Box?”

  Smooth was quiet for a long time.

  “Thor, what are you asking me?”

  “You know what I’m asking, sir. If Axel refuses to jump, then he’ll be useless to us.”

  Smooth let out a guttural laugh.

  “You mean, am I ready to have him neutralised? My dear Thor, are you worried I’m growing soft?” He coughed and cleared his throat. “You can rest assured that I’ll do whatever I have to do in order to protect The Box and its members. And I intend to do all I can to see the Academy exposed, even if time is limited.”

  “You didn’t answer my question.”

  Smooth sighed. “Yes. If needed, I’ll give the order. But you know as well as I do that, if Mr Hallman fails his F.F.T., we all fail.”

  CHAPTER 97

  Cold, wet and shivering, Axel opened his front door. Despite the state he was in, he took a moment to whiff the air. There was a new scent hovering in his apartment, a scent so delightfully pungent that one could almost taste it. His body began to relax. Perhaps it was his talk with Thabo or maybe the refreshing run in the rain on the way back; either way, he felt…revitalized.

  With a puddle forming on the floor beneath him, he got out of his drenched coat and hung it in the small drying cabinet built into the entryway closet. He placed his shoes at the front door so the house cleaner would polish them for him, then he pulled off his wet suit jacket.

  Hold on. Puzzled, Axel leaned in and pulled out a sodden envelope from his coat pocket. It was a standard, white envelope; sealed with nothing written on it. The first questions were obvious; why was there an envelope in his pocket? Who had put it there? When had it been done and how?

  For a few seconds he stood motionless, trying to get a grip on things. Then, with a quick move, he slid the envelope into the pocket of his trousers and with burning curiosity he hurried off to the main bathroom where there were no cameras to watch him.

  Shivering, Axel undressed before pulling on his thick, black bathrobe. The Academy logo, embroidered in gold on the left side chest area, seemed to twinkle in the lights from the ceiling. Feeling his warmth return, Axel sat down on the edge of the bathtub with the envelope in his hand. Careful not to rip it apart, he pulled out a sm
all, moist note and unfolded it. A single, handwritten word: Jump.

  Axel stared at the note. What on earth was going on?

  For the longest time, he sat paralyzed, trying to figure out what to do. Eventually, when his rear began to ache and the note had dried, he tore the damn thing apart and flushed it down the toilet.

  CHAPTER 98

  The day was cloudy and a little cold for the middle of June, but at least it wasn’t raining. Axel and Mr Nakata were back on the platform. The instructor had his back to Mr Nakata as he attached the bungee cord to Axel’s harness. The man hadn’t said a single word since greeting them fifteen minutes earlier. Now he looked up at Axel with an ugly smirk on his face.

  “Dude, why you doing this?”

  Axel wiped his moist hands against his thighs.

  “I guess I’m just stubborn.”

  The instructor chortled.

  “You must be, for I’ve never seen anyone fail so many times and still return for more.”

  That is it, Axel thought, feeling his temper rise.

  “Could you do me a favour and keep your mouth shut from now on,” he said with cold composure. “It’s extremely tiring to hear your bullshit when I’m trying to focus.”

  The instructor gawked at Axel.

  “I was just…”

  “I mean it. Just keep quiet.”

  “All right, I didn’t…”

  “Shhh!”

  The instructor bit back the rest of his sentence and went back to work. If Axel could have seen Mr Nakata at that moment, he’d be surprised to find the man wearing a proud expression on his face. As it was, he didn’t. Instead he closed his eyes, feeling his heart thumping against his ribs. No more failure, he thought. No more fear.

  “Well, you’re all set to jump,” the instructor snapped and turned to Mr Nakata. “I’ll be back in two hours to get him out of his harness.”

  Mr Nakata snorted.

  “Don’t get comfortable. This time it won’t take long.”

  “Whatever,” instructor snickered and left the platform.

  Axel opened his eyes and took a deep breath.

  “Mr Nakata? What will happen if I don’t jump?”

  “No jump, no graduation.”

  “Yeah, but what will happen to me?”

  A few seconds passed without a reply. Then came a quiet, “No jump, no graduation.”

  Axel wiped his palms against his thighs and closed his eyes. I’m doing it for Talk Thirteen! Then with one last breath, he whispered a few comforting words; Out of darkness and into light; I come walking without fright!

  He stepped off the platform and threw himself into the jaws of fear.

  CHAPTER 99

  TWELVE YEARS EARLIER

  Professor Jackson was busy grading essays when Principal Cunningham called.

  “I want you to come down to Mr Garner’s apartment,” the principal ordered. “Immediately!”

  Professor Jackson dropped what he was doing, and a few minutes later he stepped into Mr Garner’s tiny apartment. He paused by the door and took in the scene. The place was in immaculate order. It was hard to imagine that someone actually lived here.

  “Close the door,” the principal said. “I want you to see the consequences of our actions.”

  He was sitting on a stool near the wall, his fingers interlocked, and his hands resting in his lap. Professor Jackson shut the door behind him and took a reluctant step towards the principal.

  “When did it happen, sir?”

  “If I’m to believe Mr Nakata and his men, sometime last night. There’s a note.”

  The principal handed Professor Jackson a tiny note. Great leadership demands great sacrifices, but some sacrifices are too great to make, it said in shaky, handwritten letters. The assistant principal sighed and looked up at Mr Garner, hanging by the neck in the middle of the room.

  “He cared for Ms Wangai.”

  Principal Cunningham nodded.

  “He did.”

  “It was the Seven,” Professor Jackson mumbled. “We can’t disobey the Seven. They gave us an order.”

  Principal Cunningham shook his head.

  “There’s always a choice, Professor. I think both Ms Wangai and Mr Garner made that very clear. You and I also had a choice but we chose to conform.”

  “I don’t consider death a choice,” Professor Jackson muttered.

  “Who says death was our only choice.” Principal Cunningham stood up. “I want you to organise Mr Garner’s funeral. He has a niece in Cambridge. I’m sure she wants to know that her uncle has passed away from a sudden heart attack.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Mr Garner was also responsible for the…handling of Ms Wangai’s body. Do you know if he completed his task?”

  “He handed that task over to Mr Nakata two days ago,” Professor Jackson explained while rubbing his temples. “You don’t have to worry, sir. No one will find her body.”

  Principal Cunningham nodded and made his way to the door.

  “I’ll take it upon myself to find us a replacement for Mr Garner. Meanwhile, you keep a close eye on Ms De Paz. She was, after all, Ms Wangai’s friend, and we don’t want to drag any of the other students into this mess. Make sure she understands that keeping her silence will be…beneficial for her.”

  Professor Jackson felt the weight of the note in his hand.

  “Yes, sir.”

  Principal Cunningham gave a sad nod and left. Then, when no one saw him, Professor Jackson hid his face in his hands.

  Life at the Academy would never be the same again. The E.K.A. had lost its innocence.

  CHAPTER 100

  PRESENT MOMENT

  The thrill of having jumped was unlike any other feeling in the world. Axel felt invincible. If he put his mind to it, he could do anything he wanted. Anything! It was an amazing feeling, so powerful he still felt like he was walking on clouds when he entered the classroom the following day, whistling a little tune.

  According to their schedule, the next class was communication, but instead of Professor Evans, Professor Jackson marched through the door.

  “Morning,” he barked and stomped over to the teacher’s desk. “Professor Evans will be with you in a little while, but first I need a few minutes of your time.”

  “Now what?” Federico mumbled and Axel knew precisely what he meant. Life at the E.K.A. was a life filled with sudden twists and turns. Whenever the students thought they knew what was awaiting them, the school would throw in something new, something unexpected.

  The assistant principal regarded his class with the self-assured, eagle-stare that he mastered so well.

  “Summer has arrived and it’s the time of year when most schools reward their students with a little break. I’m sure many of you long to go home. I regret I have to disappoint you.” As usual, the man didn’t look very remorseful, quite the opposite, actually. “You’re not allowed to go home. There are too many risks involved.”

  Axel felt a sting of frustration. He needed a break. Just a week or so to recharge his batteries. The awkward silence of the students pressed against his eardrums, and a quick peek around the room confirmed what he’d expected; no one seemed surprised. This was, after all, the Academy.

  Professor Jackson took in the students’ lack of reaction with a satisfied grin. “Having said that,” he continued, “we understand that you all need some rest. Therefore, we’ve chartered a plane, and, three weeks from now, you’ll be heading for the green valleys of northern Italy. Tuscany, to be specific. We’ll offer you a secluded farmhouse near the small city of Volterra. There you’ll spend two weeks at your leisure, before the start of the next semester.”

  “Holy shit,” Dalilah whispered in excitement, “I’ve always wanted to go to Italy.”

  “We’ll post more information on Eagle Net this afternoon. Any questions? No?”

  As if on cue, the door opened and Professor Evans entered.

  “Ah,” she beamed. “I see Professor Jackson has
told you the good news.”

  “I have.” The assistant principal’s face turned stern. “But there’s one more thing I need to clarify. If you fail your mid-term exams next week, you’ll remain here all summer, studying. Is that clear?”

  “YES, SIR!”

  Axel put on a bright smile with everyone else, but deep inside he worried. He wasn’t even close to being prepared for the exams. The F.F.T. had taken up too much of his time and focus. Of course, as Professor Plouffe had pointed out many times, the great Hayato Sano had passed his mid-term exams without studying for them.

  “He didn’t have to,” the professor had pointed out. “Mr Sano was a true leader. He knew these things by heart.”

  As the week progressed, Axel pondered if perhaps he too was a natural leader. After all, the world’s most prestigious leadership academy had admitted him, and without any effort from his side. Moreover, he started Talk Thirteen when he was only a child. Surely, that was a sign of natural skills?

  These thoughts, along with vigorous studying, gave Axel a degree of confidence. He would do well, he told himself, but on the day of his first exam, he woke up feeling sick of worry. His confidence had vanished and his mind had gone blank. The idea of breakfast was unthinkable, so he made himself a cup of tea and took his study notes with him to the living room. At the large dining table, he began to skim through his papers. Not that it helped much. His head seemed stuffed with sawdust. Nothing he read made sense.

  An hour later, he wobbled into the classroom, feeling drunk on anxiety and too little sleep. He did his best not to show it, afraid to appear weak in front of the others. As it turned out, he didn’t need to worry. Shortly after entering the classroom, Julie collapsed on the floor. A result of too much stress and fatigue, Dr Vella suspected, before rolling Julie out in a wheelchair for a quick medical check-up. Axel and the remaining students laughed their heads off. A wheelchair. Geez, even Axel thought that was embarrassing.

  The doctor was right, and Julie returned twenty minutes later, pale and red-eyed, but determined to do her exam without complaints. As expected, Axel and the others mocked her savagely, but Julie held her head up high and did her best to ignore them. What else could she do?